FLAWED HEROES: I had three real life idols in three different stages of my life

SANDIP C JAIN, EOI, 29 JANUARY 2023:  Every child needs an idol and generally everyone has an idol as one grows up.

They go to bed dreaming of emulating their hero later in life and over a period of time, many copy their mannerisms and looks. Of course heroes change as one grows up but there is no doubt that heroes play a very important role in developing the personality, outlook and overall life of many.

Many consider their favourite sportsmen or filmstar or singer or even a particular school teacher as their ultimate hero in life, and either by effort or involuntarily, fashion their life on that of their heroes. 

I must confess today that I had my heroes in life too. Before my readers who follow me regularly accuse me of double talk, no my idols never were Plastic Man or John Cena. In two different articles I wrote earlier I had mentioned Plastic Man and John Cenaas my childhood heroes but I wrote their names just to build up on the stories those particular articles dealt in. Frankly I had three real life idols in three different stages of my life.

Two of them were locals and who I keep meeting even at present times during the various social occasions across town or even just walking down Main Road. Both are lawyers by profession and eminent personalities in Kalimpong. I still look up to them, maybe not as idols any more but yes definitely as very respectable people who have been shaped by life to whatever small degree. 

The first of course was the very eminent lawyer Prem Pradhan. I was probably in third or fourth standard in St. Augustine’s School and Prem Daju was a huge star for me- House Captain, Prefect, handsome, well-spoken, cricket and football player and he had a flair in him which just captivated me. His family and mine were and still are very close family friends and when he came over to meet up with my eldest sister who was his batchmate, he talked about books and sports and all other things that interested me. 

I hung on to each of his words and I involuntarily started to imitate him in my day today life. I remember him once playing an inter-house football match (he was in the Everest house) with a half sweater, open down the middle, over his football uniform. 

Several years later, when I was the School team goalkeeper, I tried wearing a similar sweater over my goal keeper dress and needless to say I probably looked like a joker in that attire. But yes that heavy sweater probably held me down on the ground and prevented the wind from blowing me over considering the fact that I was so thin at those times that strong wind always was a danger to me. 

No wonder I got the wonderful nicknames of Kaathkira and murkhutta and lamkhuttay. Well the wind ultimately never blew me over but Prem Pradhan did.

I fashioned my early life on him and have retained many of those mannerism still today which have not only benefited me but have helped shape my life. 

The next idol I had of course was the indomitable Anmole Prasad. I had just passed out from College and was somehow nominated to be the Treasurer of the Sasonian Alumni Association which was formed just before the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the St Augustine’s School. Anmole Prasad was the Chairman of the Committee. 

After having started to work with him I was awestruck by him. Wow, what a man I thought-brilliant writer, eloquent speaker, super cook, wonderful musician, skilled driver, successful lawyer- all that I ever wanted to be. He was the hero I wanted to be. Of course I never could be a lawyer in life but I have tried over the years to learn many of the skills he had. I somehow feel it was his influence that initiated me into serious writing and yes I can make Maggie now as far as cooking is concerned. He was a hero for me and is a hero for me and he has helped shape my life.

My biggest hero who has influenced me as a writer of course is the brilliant Vir Sanghvi, the super print and television journalist, author, columnist and talk show host. He was the editorial director of The Hindustan Times, when I first started following him. He was everything that I wanted to be as a journalist- bold and eloquent with an in-depth understanding of the subjects he was writing on and he did not care a hoot about what the politicians thought of his writings. He has the greatest influence in my life as a writer and will always have that holdover me. I admit shamelessly that I try and replicate him in my journalistic career.

So why am I detailing my idols here today? Well because I have always believed that having the right idols in life is extremely important for every growing up kid. The above people have fashioned my life in a certain way which I feel helped me become a contributor to the society I am in. Had I not had them to look up to, then maybe, I would have remained the ruffian I was in College when I was the General Secretary of Kalimpong College and later the President of the Gorkha National Students Front.

The problem is that now many of our younger generation finds heroes of a different type. No I do not mean we do not have our heroes, we have several. But sadly many kids of the present generation find heroes in their goanko dada. 

For many who are growing up during these troubled times in the hills, these goanko dadas , who basically are just petty strongmen who couple up as political musclemen and thereafter as contractors, are the heroes of their life. 

The fast money and even faster life, political influence, access to the Political leaders, white Mahindra Scorpio or Bolero cars and rugged personalities that these musclemen have is a huge attraction for many kids of this generation and who strive to follow in their footsteps. For such kids ‘Da’ is the perfect hero material and their ultimate goal in life is to emulate their favourite ‘Da’ and be one day addressed as such by other kids. They believe once they have become the new ‘Da’, their road to Councilor to Kanchilor is clear and fixed. This flawed concept of heroism has to change. 

(The writer of this article is the Editor of Himalayan Times, Kalimpong)